I've got a follow up question if you will regarding my post from a few weeks back when I found my 13 year old cousin on myspace saying she was 17. Here is the post if you want to read it: http://thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144739
I eventually sent my Aunt an e-mail about it. Here is the relevant part of the e-mail I sent her:
Here is my Aunt's reply:
So my question, is saying she's older better? Parents please chime in.
I'm working on a reply e-mail now. I can see where saying she's older might help keep people who specifically prey on young girls away, but I just see the ones who think she's so much closer to being a legal age as a bigger threat. I'm deffinately glad to hear my Aunt does talk to her about dangers online.
Here is what I have so far:
And on a side note, I did not appreciate the way she said that about Gram. I know Gram is not who she used to be. I might live several states away, but I talk to her all the time and I've witnessed one of her fits. But still, she is not that far gone. And I have in fact witnessed my cousin snap at her kids (meaning without warning start screaming at them for some little thing, like they didn't get their coat on fast enough.). But I can see her defending her daughter too. I know my Aunt knows my cousin has not made the best choices. I guess I just touched one of many wrong cords there. Don't get me wrong, I love my aunt to death, but sometimes she can be hard and stubborn as a stone.
I eventually sent my Aunt an e-mail about it. Here is the relevant part of the e-mail I sent her:
Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m writing to be a tattle I guess. I donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t know if you know that she has one or not, but I found ********'s Myspace page. Thatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s ok because her site is not too bad and her pictures are decent and everything (Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve seen several kids her age where they are dressing and posing way to sexy for their pics!!) but she has on there that sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s 17. So I thought I should let you know, in case that gets her in a bad situation. I really donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t see anything wrong with her having a page. I think you have to be 14 to have a page, so she could have put 17 for that reason, but really sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s almost 14 anyway, why go up so many years? Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d rather she not know that Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve looked at her page and talked to you about it. Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m sure at her age sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ll not see it as something that could get her or someone else in a sticky situation and Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ll just look evil. And Gram is always saying how ******(my cousin) just yells at the kids so I thought youâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d be the better one to just let know she has a page at this point.
Here is my Aunt's reply:
Thanks for the info. I did know she listed herself as 17, thinking that older always seems better. I've have pleanty of discussions with her about the internet and people using it.
don't believe to much of what Gram says about ****(my cousin). ***** does not yell all the time. You have to understand that Gram is not the same person she used to be. right now she is paranoid and very bitter. She finds anything to complain or argue about. There is no changing it, her mind is slowly going unfortunatley not very pleasant for us.
Take Care - Aunt ****
So my question, is saying she's older better? Parents please chime in.
I'm working on a reply e-mail now. I can see where saying she's older might help keep people who specifically prey on young girls away, but I just see the ones who think she's so much closer to being a legal age as a bigger threat. I'm deffinately glad to hear my Aunt does talk to her about dangers online.
Here is what I have so far:
Anything else I should add you think? I'm not touching the yelling thing...should never have said that in the first place but it's too late now. Should I suggest that my cousin's daughter at least make her page private, so only her friends can see her page? I know I've never updated my age with myspace, so in a few months, it will say she's 18 unless she can change her age or makes a new page then.Hmm… I guess I can see saying sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s older as a way of keeping people who search for younger girls away, but I guess I just see someone thinking sheâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s much closer to a legal age as a bigger threat. I know people always thought I was older than I was, and since I always liked the older guys, I didnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t mind that one bit. Not that I ever even spent any time with anyone or anything. Then there was ****** (my step-sister) who almost got her boyfriend arrested for statutory rape because he was 18 and she was about 13 or 14 at the time. I guess Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ve just seen and heard a lot of stories about stuff like that happening versus people being approached because they were younger. A friendâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s sister claimed older on purpose and it didnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t end too well for her. (Meaning she met an older guy online when she was 15, he thought she was older, and ended up getting them both in trouble).
And on a side note, I did not appreciate the way she said that about Gram. I know Gram is not who she used to be. I might live several states away, but I talk to her all the time and I've witnessed one of her fits. But still, she is not that far gone. And I have in fact witnessed my cousin snap at her kids (meaning without warning start screaming at them for some little thing, like they didn't get their coat on fast enough.). But I can see her defending her daughter too. I know my Aunt knows my cousin has not made the best choices. I guess I just touched one of many wrong cords there. Don't get me wrong, I love my aunt to death, but sometimes she can be hard and stubborn as a stone.